Prime Minister Gon Coulibaly of Ivory Coast has died at the
age of 61.
In a statement on Wednesday, Patrick Achi, a spokesman at
the Ivorian presidency, said Coulibaly became unwell during a weekly cabinet
meeting and was evacuated to a hospital where he passed away.
According to Reuters, President Alassane Ouattara handpicked
Coulibaly to succeed him later this year.
The deceased, who was nominated candidate of the ruling
Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace Party (RHDPP) in March, had
returned to the country on July 2 after a prolonged stay in France.
He had traveled regularly to France since having a heart
surgery in 2012.
Despite his prolonged hospitalisation in Paris, the ruling
party’s executive director had said there was no “plan B” to Coulibaly.
When he returned to the country last Thursday, he had said:
“I am back to take my place by the side of the president, to continue the task
of developing and building our country.”
One of Ouattara’s most trusted aides, Coulibaly served as
agriculture minister from 2002 to 2010 and as secretary general of the presidency
from 2011 until his 2017 appointment as prime minister.
In a nationwide broadcast on Wednesday, Ouattara said: “I
pay tribute to my little brother, my son, who for more than 30 years has been
my closest ally.”
Ivory Coast now has four months to nominate a successor to
the outgoing president.
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